oven fried cajun popcorn shrimp with spicy honey mustard
Plop your ass down in front of the tv, in your favorite pajamas, with a pile of popcorn shrimp and call it a night. You deserve it.
We feasted on these Oven Fried Cajun Popcorn Shrimp on Super Bowl night, before we both retired early for our flight to Colorado. Crunch-munch, crunch-munch, on this and a bowl of tortilla chips with various dips while packaging up our whole house, cleaning, shoving clothing in our suitcases, and collapsing intermittently on the couch to rest before doing it all over again.
Thankfully, whether you’re lazing or moving fast, popcorn shrimp is not fussy to make and quite fun to eat. These little breaded bites make for a perfect I’m-doing-12-things-at-once or a let’s-chill-and-not-move meal, a great entertaining staple or supper for two. Breadcrumbs seasoned with a homemade spice blend coat the little shrimpies, and the easy honey mustard dip kicks your in the pants a tad with a spicy undertone.
Ready? Let’s rock and roll.
Pop Goes the Shrimpy
First tip: a hot hot hot oven. This serves to provide a quick cooking time as well as an especially crunchy breadcrumb coating. We’re doing 450 here.
Tip two: line your baking sheet (or sheets, if yours are small) with parchment AND spray with oil. Again, oil = the golden hue and the crunch.
Tip three: small or medium shrimp are best for popcorn shrimp. You can use large, but I find the littler guys more fun and truer to the concept.
Okay, I’ve exhausted my pro tip series, thanks for listening to my Ted Talk.
First, mix up your breadcrumb blend. I use lots of snappy Cajun spices: smoked paprika, dried oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and salt. I also mix in a bit of flour to help the crumbs adhere more.
Pat the shrimp dry very well with paper towels. In a bowl or a big ziptop bag, toss with two lightly beaten eggs until coated.
Dredge the shrimp in the breadcrumbs. I usually work with 2-3 at a time to quicken the process and because the bowl is usually big enough to accommodate more than one, unless I’m a dumbass and use too small a bowl (a problem all too oft). Shake off any excess and set the shrimps on the baking sheet with a bit of space between.
Drizzle or spray the finished shrimp with a bit more oil. Bake for 5 minutes, flip, spray once more with oil, and finish in the oven for 5 more minutes until golden.
Must Have Mustard
While the shrimp cooks up, whip up the mustard. Very easy to do with just a spoon and a bit of manpower. Mayonnaise, plain Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, honey, cayenne pepper, and, if you want a more vivid sunny hue, a touch of turmeric. The latter step is optional, but I love the bright façade lent by the spice.
Pile the shrimp onto a platter of some sort with the honey mustard on the side. I also roasted up a big tray of bay fries to serve alongside. Bay fries are the straightup shit, and the incredibly flavorful spice blend pairs with the popcorn shrimp like a dream. Want me to share how I make my bay fries sometime? Let me know!
I find, like popcorn cauliflower, leftovers don’t have nearly the quality of the fresh version, but if you really need to keep some for another day, pop them in the oven at 350 for 8-10 minutes to reheat. They won’t turn out as crisp as the original, but they’re certainly edible. I know the leftovers battle well, and get even more the resistance to wasting food, so if you need to keep some, have at it.
The honey mustard keeps for quite awhile in the fridge, I’d say about a week. Use it as a sandwich spread or for soft pretzels. I need a soft pretzel recipe, honestly. Filed away for later.
Tried this recipe out? Leave a comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
oven fried cajun popcorn shrimp with spicy honey mustard
Ingredients
- 1 lb small or medium shrimp
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 cup plain breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp all purpose flour
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
spicy honey mustard
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste
- 1 tsp turmeric, for color (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with oil or butter.
- In a large bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs, flour, smoked paprika, oregano, garlic, onion, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and salt.
- Pat the shrimp dry and add to a bowl. Toss with the beaten eggs until evenly coated.
- Working a few at a time, dredge the shrimp in the breadcrumb mixture until fully covered. Shake off excess and set on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining shrimp.
- Bake the shrimp for 5 minutes. Flip the shrimp and spray again with oil. Bake an additional 5 minutes until crispy and golden.
- While the shrimp bake, combine the mayo, yogurt, dijon mustard, honey, cayenne pepper, and turmeric (if using) in a small bowl or jar and stir until combined.
- Serve the shrimp with the honey mustard and fries, as desired.
